Russia urges restraint, dialogue after N.Korea's missile test

Moscow, July 31 (IANS) Russia on Monday called on all parties interested in settlement on the Korean Peninsula for restraint and establishment of a dialogue after a new missile launch by North Korea.

“We call on all parties involved to refrain from any steps which could lead to further escalation of tension in the region,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement also said Russia was concerned by the missile launch, which directly violated the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Friday, North Korea test-fired a missile, which the country described as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called Hwasong-14, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

At the same time, Moscow was concerned by the military activities of the US, South Korea and Japan around the Korean Peninsula with the deployment of elements of the US global Anti-Ballistic Missile system in South Korea, it said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday ordered his aides to consult with their US counterparts on the deployment of four more mobile launchers of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) on top of the two delivered previously, the South Korean JSC said.

“We suggest all interested parties immediately begin a comprehensive discussion about the establishment of collective efforts to resolve the situation on the basis of the ideas contained in the ‘road map’,” the foreign ministry statement said.